A Laker that Hasn’t Been Seen in Duluth for nearly 20 Years! Robert S Pierson
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- Опубліковано 6 лип 2024
- With the Michipicoten in drydock, I’ve been hoping we’d get to see some really unusual ships coming to cover her run for her and that’s turned out to be true! While she arrived on the Superior side in 2021, the 50 year old laker Robert S Pierson arriving through the Duluth Canal and saluting the Lift Bridge apparently for the first time since August, 2005 when she made an equally rare visit under the name Wolverine. She primarily operates a route between Lake Huron and Lake Ontario, hauling coal and limestone. In the last week she’s been operating the Soo iron ore run, first loading at Two Harbors (which I missed her at), then Marquette and now finally Duluth. She is my girlfriend’s favorite ship despite this being her first time operating in the area, because she and the ship share the same last name! Unfortunately she was working during her arrival but hopefully we can catch her departure! Maybe we’ll get more entertainment from the museum announcer too lol.
Built in 1974 as the Wolverine, the Pierson is 630ft long, 68ft wide with a maximum carrying capacity of 19,600 tons, or 14,700 tons through the Welland Canal. She is a modern style stern pilothouse laker, except with a hull design based on that of a classic laker with the pointed bow and low freeboard characteristic of those designs, plus a very unique stern. She is the third of three identical sister ships, the others being Calumet and Manitowoc. She also has a fourth near sister, Algoma Compass, which uses the same design but is 50ft longer and 10ft wider. Known as the River Class, these vessels were designed specifically to navigate incredibly tight rivers such as the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, and others. All four vessels are very active in the lower lakes but are almost unheard of in Lake Superior.
She operated as the Wolverine until 2007 when Oglebay Norton sold their entire fleet off, and the three sisters in that fleet ended up in Rand Logistics. Two of the three ended up in the US based Grand River Navigation fleet, while the Pierson went to the Canadian based Lower Lakes fleet. She grounded several times in 1993-1994 but was not significantly damaged by any of those. In 1994 she collided with 2 small boats on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland. In 1997 she dented her nose in coming in too fast to a fuel dock in Corunna, Ontario, causing roughly $15,000 in damage. Because she spends a lot of her time passing through the Welland Canal, she takes a beating though, the tight locks leaving her with a lot of scars, particularly down her port side.
Always very exciting to see a rare ship!! Hopefully it’s not another 19 years before we see her again!
What a nice surprise! Thanks for the back story, I always enjoy reading about these, especially when they are a rare visit!!
Glad you enjoyed! Was very happy to see her
Thank you for the video of this ship. I hope that the ship will get a fresh coat of paint and be made more ship-shape.
Yeah she’d look good freshened up a bit
Love your videography. And huge thanks for your detailed written documentation. Much appreciated. Great job! That Welland Canal must be brutal. This ship is truly a rusty scupper. 😊
Yeah the Welland is really hard on ships. The fact that LLT also seems to hate paint is another thing lol. Glad you enjoyed it though! Rusty or not I’m a fan!
It's wild listening to freighters scraping against the sides of the Welland locks. Sometimes you expect to see them with holes through the hull when they come out because the grinding is so brutal. And it isn't just Lower Lakes, none of the Canadian fleets like spending money on paint. 😂 ✌🍁
Yes, love the history on this lil mama ❤🎉
She’s a fun ship to see for sure 😃
Oh, wow! A ship I know and have seen!!!! Bless her!!
Guessing you’re on Lake Ontario?
Yes indeed!!
@@bevpearson8268 she’s probably a regular for you then! Thanks for sending her our way for once! Lol
@@bevpearson8268the ONLY WAY to sail from Lake Ontario to Duluth Is to navigate the very impressive locks of the WELLAND CANAL!! And she bears the nasty hull scars to prove it. Especially those remarkably tight “ squeezes” at the various Draw Bridge channels!! Then there’s the the locks of the Big Soo to contend with?!?! God bless the Pierson!!
Sam, Towson, md
I like your style of filming. Awesome stuff.
Thank you! Glad you enjoy it 😃
I like it too
I just seen her in Marquette Friday and got pictures ❤
I saw she went there and started getting nervous that she wouldn’t come up this way! Seems to be taking a tour lol
@@jonathanellsworth21 I’m glad she’s making visits all over. It takes me over an hour to get to Marquette but it’s worth it. lol I’ve been making quite a few trips there lately lol So far seen 6 up there. 🤗 I’m so happy with the marine traffic app.
Nice looking ship, like to see her with a fresh coat of paint
She is a good looking ship under the wear and tear! Sort of a no-frills industrial design, which I don’t mind at all
Niice catch,great info also. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed!
The good ol' Robert. Which is pretty much its name if you see the name on its port side.
Lol yep
Just imagine how loud that thing is when it's out on the lakes cruising at 16 kt's.
She was fairly quiet I thought! The loudest engine by far is Clyde S VanEnkevort. She’ll shake your windows lol
😊
Parking by feel would appear to be this ships forte !
Hey Jon, what is hanging below the bridge on the harbour side? Can see it well starting at 1:45. Is it a light for the freighters?
@@danielmorris3687 yep! There’s one on each side and it acts as a stoplight for ships. When the bridge is down or in motion the light is red. When the bridge is fully lifted it’ll change to green. You’ll see it pretty clearly at night, less noticeable in daylight
Where are the life boats?
I think it was in Duluth 2 years ago
@@justinolsen9284 nope, she was in Superior though. Did not use the canal
Why don’t they weld some wear pads to the sides ?
@@irvlalonde3915 the ships are specifically designed to be as wide as they possibly can be for the spaces they fit through. In many places they have just inches of clearance to the sides, so even a thin plate makes it that much harder. Plus they already have multiple layers of hull protecting them, it’s just the paint that gets scratched off. Adding another layer would result in the exact same thing eventually
Typical Rand Logistics vessel. No paint, beat up, and the crew on the stern towards the end of the video looks like they were ready to jump ship.
Lol yeah she’s a little rough. Honestly I’m just more happy to see her regardless!